Marine Discovery Series

Upcoming lectures

Date: 5 December 2024 starting at 6pm

"The solution to pollution is not dilution: Keeping our waterways and seafood healthy"

Guest Speaker: Professor Kirsten Benkendorff

Australia is typically portrayed as having clean seafood and pristine waters. But most sources of pollution are invisible and contaminants are not routinely monitored. Over the last two decades, the use of pesticides in Australia has increased by 255% - well above the world average. Pesticides, including herbicides, insecticides and fungicides are used for a range of agricultural and urban applications and can enter waterways through spray drift, surface run-off after rain and in groundwater.

Our sampling along the north coast NSW has revealed a range of toxic pesticides in water, sediment, oysters, crabs and turtles. We have also found hotspots of faecal bacteria in some estuaries. Managing these problems is complex due to multiple point sources and a lack of accountability for downstream effects.  Professor Benkendorff will discuss these problems and some potential solutions for keeping our waterways and seafood safe and healthy. 

Past lectures

"Marine species-on-the-move: How climate change is affecting the distribution of life in the ocean (and how you can help!)"

Guest Speaker: Dr. Curtis Champion, NSW Department of Primary Industries

Half of the planet’s species are already shifting where they live to follow their preferred environmental conditions in a changing climate. These ‘species-on-the-move’ are recognised as one of the most evident biological fingerprints of climate change and have considerable implications for ecosystems and human well-being. 

This talk will provide an overview of how climate change is affecting where plants and animals are found in the ocean, with emphasis on Australian and NSW environments. Opportunities for public participation in the detection of marine species-on-the-move through citizen science will also be discussed.

"She studies seashells by the seashore"

Guest Speaker: SCU PhD Candidate, Kate Seinor

Marine snails hold not only ecological value but many have cultural significance and comprise important fisheries resources. In Australia, one example is Turbo militaris, a large turban snail endemic to rocky shores and shallow reefs from southern Queensland to southern New South Wales. Turbo militaris is harvested for its high-quality meat by recreational, commercial and traditional fishers.

Whilst fisheries regulations govern harvesting, little is known about this species to underpin effective management. Join us as PhD candidate Kate Seinor discusses her research on the biology and ecology of T. militaris. Kate also discusses local harvesting and current population monitoring of turban snails within the Solitary Islands Marine Park.

"Future proofing kelp forests"

Guest Speaker: Adjunct Professor Melinda Coleman

Climate change is causing widespread habitat deterioration and destruction and presents one of the biggest threats to species and global ecological function. Underwater kelp forests underpin fisheries and vast economic values on Australian coasts but are declining due to climate change.

There is an urgent need to develop novel and proactive solutions to combat, reverse and prevent this habitat loss. Dr. Coleman will discuss how we are assessing the vulnerability of kelp forests to climate change and developing novel solutions to “future-proof” management in our changing oceans.

“50 years of banding the Wedge-tailed Shearwaters on Muttonbird Island”

Guest Speaker: Narelle Swanson, Neil Vaughan, Neil Belling

It’s an amazing story – Adult wedge-tailed shearwaters, or ‘mutton birds’, fly halfway around the globe to hatch and raise a single chick each year in colonies along the coast of NSW, returning to the same burrow every spring.

An important nesting site, Muttonbird Island in Coffs Harbour is home to thousands of Shearwaters each year. However, the exact number is not fully known, as research is limited to along the track during the breeding season. The island’s Shearwaters have been studied for over 50 years by a dedicated group of bird banders. Join Narelle, Neil and Neil as they present some of the interesting things that they have discovered about the Shearwaters on Muttonbird Island in that time.

“Whale carcass management on beaches: groundwater contamination, flow to ocean and shark attraction”

Guest Speaker: James Tucker, SCU PhD candidate

With the recovery of whale populations, carcass strandings on beaches are growing. Beach burial is a common management option for stranded carcasses. However, communities fear shark attraction following leachate transport to the ocean via submarine groundwater discharge.

James Tucker, a PhD candidate at the National Marine Science Centre, is investigating the disposal of stranded whale carcasses and the effect they may have. In this MDS Lecture, James will review current methods, discuss groundwater contamination from burials, and the potential for shark attraction in different situations.

“The Sea Slug Census – a citizen science program to document marine biodiversity”

Guest Speaker: Professor Steve Smith, Tom Davis, Matt Nimbs

Despite their uninspiring common name, sea slugs are one of the most photographed and “flamboyant” marine creatures. Most sea slugs are highly colourful, not very mobile, plentiful, and range from 4mm to 40cm in size. They also make very good indicators of environmental change because of their rapid life cycles and specific feeding requirements.

The Sea Slug Census citizen science project contributes to valuable marine research through Southern Cross University, where scientists use this data to map the distribution of sea slugs and identify changes to these patterns over time. Through teaming up with local community organisations and volunteers, Southern Cross University has coordinated 30 sea slug census events at eight locations along Australia’s east coast since December 2013. In total more than 1000 citizen scientists, scuba divers and snorkelers have taken photos to document hundreds of species, new regional records, and substantial changes in range for some tropical species